Cox stars as Beer Albion net fine home win

Beer Albion 1st team, sponsored by Edenvale Turf (SW) Ltd were 3-2 winners when they entertained a strong Whipton and Pinhoe team at the Furzebrake in front of a large crowd on Saturday, writes Roger Hoare.

Manager Mark Rooke had scouted the opposition earlier in the week and his game plan seemed to work well.

With exchanges being equal in the early part of the contest the Beer defence coped well with the anticipated early long ball game, until on 31 minutes a through ball caught the Fishermen cold and keeper Driver was lobbed.

The Albion lost their fluidity in midfield after this set back, but worked hard to regain the momentum and finished the first half strongly, albeit still a goal down.

At the start of the second half Chris Long found Taylor Rooke and he applied a clinical finish to level things up.

Once level, the Beer wide men started to control the game and it soon paid off when Giles Basson finished after good work from Long and Cox to make it 2-1. Unfortunately Beer lost defender Hankin with a twisted knee on 60 minutes, and the visitors then levelled after a wonder strike from their own half which caught keeper Driver off his line. Further substitutions for Beer saw Fontes and Smith enter the fray and the two combined well to force a good saved from the busy opposition keeper. On 85 minutes, a penalty was awarded to the Fishermen, but the linesman spent several minutes changing the referee's mind and the free kick went wide, Beer kept calm and went looking for the winner, and It came with minutes to go when Basson found Smith who smashed the ball home, much to the delight of the Furzebrake faithful. Match sponsor Pecorama awarded the Man of the Match to Beer's Liam Cox for a superb defensive display

Beer Reserves start to the season saw them take all the points at Otterton, winning 3-1 with goals from Gould, White and Billy Long.

On Saturday (August 31) Beer 1st team are at Bampton and the 2nd team host Honiton Town Reserves at the Furzebrake (3pm) with that game sponsored by Beer Fish & Chip Shop.